Carton opener



Nov. 10, 1942.

I L. ANGYAL CARTON OPENER Filed April 29, 1941 FIIE E FIE-E...

Y Q mwu Tgo mi m -w am WW 8 Y B ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARTON OPENER Louis Angyal, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to R. L. Schneider, San Francisco, Calif.

Application April 29, 1941, Serial No. 390,916

6 Claims.

movable knife edge adapted to cut a curved slit in a cardboard or paper cart-on to provide a hinged opening in said carton.

Still another of the objects of my invention is a simple economical device for cutting a slit to form a hinged flap in a cardboard or paper carton, which flap may be swung to open position for removing the contents of the carton and back to closed position to protect said contents.

Yet another object of my invention is a device for cutting a curved slitin a cardboard or paper box for forming a hinged closable flap in one side of said box adjacent the edge of said side.

And a further object of my invention is a simple and economical device, which is easy to operate, designed to releasably engage a portion of a paper or cardboard box for forming a hinged flap in said box for removing its contents.

Heretofore, generally no adequate provision has been made in cardboard cartons for means cooperating with said carton and through which 'ly provide for the removal of some types of products. It has, therefore, in order to remove the contents, been necessary to partially or wholly remove one side of the box with an ordinary knife, which provesto be both a dangerous and unsatisfactory operation, because of the difiiculty in making the initial cut and thereafter guiding the knife in the desired direction. Further, it has usually been found impossible to make an opening of the proper size, or to make a elosableopening, and the effect has been to encourage spoilage and long contact with large amounts of air and moisture, which could be prevented with a properly formed, closable opening.

It is also found that because no adequate device is now available for forming a hinged flap at any point along the edge of a carton, the opening made by an ordinary knife has to be made adjacent a corner of the carton, which in many instances isundesirable. 1

My invention is designed to overcome these difliculties and is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, as follows:

Figure 1 shows a perspective View of my device positioned in place upon a portion of a carton indicated by dotted lines.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the device illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the same device, taken at right angles to Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a partial detail view of a modified form of the end of the cutter arm and knife, used with the device illustrated in Figures 1, 2

and 3.

Figure 5 is a view of a modified form of my invention, in elevation.

Figure 6 is 'a plan view of the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 5.

My invention, briefly described, consists of a flat guide memberfrom which a semicircular .plate extend-s at right angles, and on which is tending in the direction of its width, are two ears 2 which serve as means to properly position the device on the edge of a carton 0, indicated in dotted lines in Figure I. Extending at right angles to both guide I and ears 2 is a semicircular plate 3, which is formed integrally with the other parts just mentioned. However, it is, as has been indicated, in a position between the ears with its straight side in the plane of guide I, but extending at right angles therefrom.

Substantially near the center of the circle on which the outside edge of plate 3 theoretically lies and close to the bend where plate 3 joins guide I is a pivot 4 which extends through a hole in plate 3. On the under side away from ears 2, the pivot is pointed at its end 5 to enable it to enter the side of a carton, as will be later explained. On the upper end of the pivot and attached rigidly thereto is a butterfly-shaped.

by a rivet or screw, so long as it is adapted to rotate with the turning member.

On the upper side of plate 3 and in an adjacent horizontal plane, a cutting arm 7 I is rigidly mounted at one of its ends to pivot 4. The opposite end of cutting arm 1 is formed with a right angle bend forming a knife 8 extending past the edge of plate 3, so that as the pivot 4 is turned by the turning member 6, cutting arm 1 sweeps over plate 3, carrying knife 8, which extends downwardly past plate 3, around the circular edge of plate 3. The knife 8, on the: end of cutting arm I is formed with a point to pierce the carton, but is relatively fiat in a direction transverse to its two cutting edges, which enables it to be operated in eitherdirection,

Near the outer edge of plate 3 and positioned equidistance from the ends of guide I, isa sharpened triangular shaped projection 9 which is punched out of plate 3 from above, so that it extends downwardly from plate 3 in the same direction as knife 8. Projection 9 is not at right angles to plate 3, but bent slightly toward pivot 4 at its lowermost end. I

If it is desired, the form of my invention just described may be formed with a cutting knife as illustrated in Figure 4. The outer end of arm 1 may be formed with a right angle bend extending upwardly of plate 3 in a direction opposite that shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. This short extension l i) is formed with a vertical slot I in which may be positioned a fiat bladed knife l2 by means of screw l3. Knife I2 is pointed and bevelled at its lower end, which is adapted to extend past 5 and 6 the guide, ears, plate and its pointed projection are formed in exactly the same manner as in the form just described and these parts are indicated by the same reference numbers as the corresponding parts in Figures 1, 2 and 3, except, that in Figures 5 and 6 the reference numbers are primed.

In this form of the invention the pivot l4, like pivot 4, is provided with a pointed end l5 and washer IE on the'under side of plate 3; but at its upper end it is provided with another washer ll which is adopted to rigidly secure a hinge bracket |8 to pivot I4. Bracket I8 is adapted to turn with pivot I0, which is kept from slipping through the bracket I8 and plate 3' by means of the just mentioned washers l6 and I1.

Bracket 8 is formed with two upwardly extending parallel ears |9 at right angles to plate 3, each of which is formed with a hole-to receive one end of a pin 20 which is secured therein. A. relatively long turning handle 2| is attached to bracket |8 by simply forming one of its ends to fit securely around pin 20, but with sufl'icient clearance to allow handle 2| to be rotated about an axis formed by pin 20. To prevent handle 2| from rotating through more than substantially a 90 angle, a small stop 22 is formed on each of the ears I9, which prevents handle 2| from passing this point in its rotation, plate 3" stopto the plane of plate 3'. Block 23 is formed with a slot 24 running transversely to the long dimension handle 2|. Mounted in' the slot 24 is knife 25, which extends downwardly past the edge of plate 3 when the plate and handle are in parallel planes. Knife 25 is double-edged and positioned to just clear the edge of plate 3 and to follow around said edge as the handle 2| and block 23 are rotated about theaxis of pivot l4.

Knife 25 may be mounted in slot 24 in any convenient manner, the method shown in Figure 5 being a bolt 26, slightly to one side of the slot so that the head of the bolt engages the edge of the blade.

ping further rotation in the other direction...

Handle 2| may be formed with a bend to provide more clearance between it and the carton if desired. Handle 2| carries a block 23, attached to it in any convenient manner which is positioned In operation, all forms of my invention operate in substantially the same manner. The device is positioned on one edge of a carton, wherever it is desired to form an opening. This position maybe as indicated in Figure 1, or it may be desired to have the opening at a corner or centrally located between two corners. When the position is determined, my device is placed on the carton with the plate 3 or 3' over the portion of thecarton desired to be cut out, guide 2 or 2' being held fiat against the adjacent side of the container at right angles to the one in which the opening is to be made.

In positioning the device, it is necessary to force both the sharpened end of pivot 4 or l4 and projection 9 or 9 through the side of the carton.

If the form shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 is used, cutting arm I and knife 8 should preferably be held closely adjacent one of the ears 2, so that knife 8 is forced through the side of the carton simultaneously with pivot 4 and projection 9. Then, by means of turning member 6, cutting arm 1 is caused to sweep over plate 3, carrying knife 8 along the outer edge of plate 3 to cut a semicircular slit in the side of the carton.

In the modified form shown in Figures 5 and 6, arm 2| with knife 25 is held away from the side of the carton until the device is positioned. Then arm 2| is swung downwardly until knife 25 is forced through the side of the carton. Then by rotating arm 2| around pivot l4, knife 25 will cut a similar semi-circular slit in the side of the container.

After the slit has been cut by either form of my invention, the device is removed by swinging the curved edge of plate 3 or 3' upwardly away from the side of the carton, while guide 2 or 2 remains substantially in place. This will cause projection 9 or 9', because of its slight bend toward the pivot, to swing the semi-circular portion of the carton side, defined by the slit and the edge of the carton, upwardly about an axis defined by the edge of the carton.

Thus, a swinging, semicircular flap is formed in the cartons side, which, when open, allows the contents of the carton to be removed or poured through the resulting opening. The flap may be closed again when the desired amount of contents has been removed, thereby protecting the contents against subsequent accidental removal. In addition, as has been explained above, the closure prevents excess air or moisture from being carried into the carton.

It should be noted that the plate 3' or 3' described above has a specific function in that unless the device were so constructed as to have the cutting knife closelyfollow the edge of said plate, a clearly defined slit could not be cut. Instead, I have found that the knife, in thatcasej'tends to tear, rather than out the side of the; carton; and it may be actually impossibleto force the knife along the desired path. At best, a ragged, uneven cut is made in the side of the carton so that the desired hinged flap is not formed. Having described my invention, I claim: 1. A carton opener comprising; a semi-circular plate adapted to lie fiat against a side of a carton; a knife pivotally secured to said plate for movement along the curved edge of said plate from substantially end to end of said edge; pivot means secured to said plate adjacent its straight edge and at a point substantially midway between the ends of said latter edge supporting said knife for said movement; means carried by said plate and rigid therewith positioned adjacent said straight edge and projecting from said plate adapted to extend across one edge of said side of such carton when said plate is fiat against said side for positioning sa d plate adjacent said one edge of said side during movement of said knife, said knife being formed with a cutting edge extending transversely across said curved edge of said plate and closely adjacent said curved edge.

2. A carton opener comprising; a substantially semi-circular plate; a cutter extending across the curved edge of said plate closely adjacent thereto and projecting to one side of the said plate; pivot means adjacent the straight edge of said plate at a point substantially midway between the ends of said edge securing said cutter to said plate for movement of said cutter parallel with said curved edge and substantially end to end of said latter edge; the projecting portion of said cutter being formed with a cutting edge generally facing in the direction of movement of said cutter when the latter is moved along said curved edge; a carton impaling member adjacent said straight edge of said plate projecting from the same side of said plate as the projecting portion of said cutter adapted to impale a side of said carton adjacent one edge of one side of the latter upon positioning said plate fiat against said latter side; means connected with said cutter for manually causing said movement of said cutter when said side of the carton is so impaled by said impaling member and when said plate is flat against said one side of said carton whereby said cutter will cut a generally semi-circular flap in said one side of said carton adjacent said one edge of said one side; and means carried by said plate adapted to releasably secure such flap to said plate after so cutting said flap whereby said flap may be swung outwardly of the side of the carton from which it is so out upon moving said plate away from said latter side.

3. A carton opener comprising; a substantially semi-circular plate adapted to lie flat against a side of a carton; an arm pivotally secured at one of its ends to said plate at a point adjacent the straight edge of the latter substantially midway between the ends of said edge; said arm extending across one side of said plate to said curved edge of the latter; a cutter secured to said arm adjacent said curved edge of said plate and extending across said edge and to a point spaced from the opposite side of said plate with respect to the side across which said arm extends; pivot means at said one end of said arm so securing said arm to said plate and positioning said cutter for movement thereof parallel with said curved edge of the plate when said arm is swung about said pivot means; means carried by said plate projecting therefrom and adapted to engage one side of a rectangular sided carton adjacent one edge thereof for positioning said plate on one side of such carton with its straight edge adja cent and parallel to said one edge.

4. In a construction as defined in claim 3, a second pivot means adjacent said first mentioned pivot means supporting said arm for swinging at right angles to said first mentioned pivot means; and means on said arm adapted to be manually grasped for swinging said arm about either of said pivot means.

5. A carton opener comprising; a cutter having a cutting edge; a member mounting said outtor for movement in a semi-circular path from substantially end to end thereof with said cutting edge facing generally in the direction of said movement; positioning means on said member adapted to engage one side of a rectangular sided carton adjacent one of the straight edges of said one side when said cutter is positioned over said one side; means supporting said cutter on said member during said movement with said cutting edge of said cutter extending through said one side of said carton when said member is so positioned by said positioning means, whereby upon said movement of said cutter a substantially semi-circular flap will be cut in said one side by said cutter adjacent said one edge of said side; means securing said member against movement of said member in a plane parallel with the plane of said one side during said movement of said cutter; and means on said member limiting the movement of said cutter to between the ends of said movement in said semi-circular path.

6. In a construction as defined in claim 5, said positioning means comprising a flange on said member adapted to extend across said one edge of said one side.

LOUIS ANGYAL. 

